Tesla ( TSLA ) confirms plan to launch electric retail business in Texas

Tesla has confirmed its plan to launch a new electric retail business in Texas with a job opening for the head of the new business unit.

Last year, Tesla created a new business unit called Tesla Energy Ventures and has applied to the Public Utilities Commission of Texas to sell electricity in the retail market.

The plans are not clear, but Tesla has since launched a virtual power plant demonstration with Powerwall owners in Texasand the goal is to demonstrate the value for ERCOT, Texas’ electric utility regulator, to operate a virtual power plant in the state – as it happens in California.

Tesla could dive into the Texas energy market and become a dumb electricity retailer, the company now confirms in a new job posting found Electrician. The automaker is looking for “Power Generation Manager,” which is based in Austin.

In the description, Tesla said the role will oversee “the launch and growth of a new electricity retailer in the Texas market.”

This product operations manager will be a key driver in the success of Tesla’s new electric retail business. This individual will support the launch and growth of a new electricity retailer in the Texas market. This individual will be responsible for managing the retail energy products, administering the client portfolio, coordinating customer support and tracking financial performance.

The company added that it would prefer someone with “retail residential electricity experience, preferably with a retail electricity supplier in ERCOT.”

Tesla is rapidly expanding its solar and storage business in Texas. The automaker is currently building what will likely be the world’s largest rooftop solar installation at the Gigafactory Texas, and is also planning a large battery system with a planned capacity of 250 MW.

A move to retail electricity in Texas appears to be part of Musk’s vision Tesla Energy will become a distributed global utility company. The CEO also said he believes Tesla’s energy business could outgrow its automotive business.

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